JUSTICE Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an application filed by former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Alison-Madueke, seeking leave to present evidence of her acquittal by the Southwark Crown Court in London, United Kingdom.
The application, moved by Diezani’s counsel, Godwin Iyinbor, was granted after it was not opposed by counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mofesomo Oyetibo.
News Point Nigeria reports that the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom had, on June 17, discharged and acquitted the former minister of criminal bribery allegations brought against her.
The acquittal forms part of fresh evidence Diezani intends to rely on in her ongoing suit before the Federal High Court, where she is seeking to reclaim assets previously forfeited.
At Wednesday’s proceedings, both Iyinbor and Oyetibo regularised the court processes they had filed.
Thereafter, Iyinbor sought the court’s leave to move a motion on notice filed on June 25.
According to him, the application sought permission to file a further or supplementary affidavit to bring before the court a fresh and material development arising from Diezani’s acquittal by the UK court.
He also prayed the court for an order deeming the supplementary affidavit as properly filed and served.
Responding, Oyetibo confirmed that the EFCC had been served with the application.
Although the EFCC lawyer argued that the motion was intended to waste the court’s judicial time, Justice Ekwo asked whether the commission intended to oppose the application.
In response, Oyetibo informed the court that the EFCC was not objecting to the application.
Justice Ekwo subsequently granted the application as prayed.
The judge thereafter adjourned the matter until October 6 for hearing, directing that both the preliminary objection and the substantive suit would be heard together on the next adjourned date.